Will and Peter Anderson: Bio
Will and Peter Anderson
Identical twin brothers Peter and Will Anderson are natives of Bethesda, MD. They have established themselves as two of the most promising up and coming saxophonists. Beginning on the clarinet at age 9, they soon added the saxophone. Their studies took off in high school when they began studying with D.C. saxophonist Paul Carr. While still in High School, Peter and William were members of the internationally selected Clifford Brown/Stan Getz Fellows, Jazz Aspen Summer Sessions, Dave Brubeck Summer Colony, scholarship winners at the Fish-Middleton Jazz Competition, and Downbeat Magazine outstanding soloists.
After high School, they began studying at the prestigious Juilliard School’s Jazz Program in New York City. They have studied with Barry Harris, Frank Wess, and Chris Byars. They have performed at top jazz venues such as New York's Blue Note, Birdland, Carnegie Hall, London’s 100 Club, the Montreal Jazz Festival, and in Scotland, Japan, and Costa Rica.
They have performed and soloed on stage with Jimmy Heath, Paquito D’Rivera, Benny Golson, James Moody, Clark Terry, and Frank Wess. Peter and William play their own original compositions as well, which have been performed at venues such as IAJE’s 2006 international convention, and Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York. Leading their own quintet, they have performed at such venues as Blues Alley and Twins Jazz Club of DC, The Haven in Baltimore, Smalls Jazz Club and Fat Cat in NYC, as well as internationally.
Peter Anderson - Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet
Peter Anderson hails from Bethesda, MD. In High School, he took lessons from Paul Carr, who encouraged him to transcribe and listen to a variety of saxophone players. Peter began first studying clarinet, then the tenor saxophone, influenced heavily by Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, and Hank Mobley.
While still in High School, Peter was a member of the internationally selected NFAA Clifford Brown/Stan Getz Fellows, who performed in Miami, at the Monterey Jazz Festival, and the IAJE conference. He was also a member of the Jazz Aspen Summer Sessions, the Dave Brubeck Summer Colony, the All-Eastern Jazz Band and was a Downbeat Magazine outstanding soloist. On the clarinet, he was a member of the Capital Focus Jazz Band, a traditional jazz band, who toured across the U.S. and overseas.
Peter has performed with the Jimmy Heath Big Band at New York's Blue Note, and was a featured soloist with the Arturo O'Farrill Big Band on clarinet in a tribute to Benny Goodman. He has also played with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, the Valery Ponomarev Big Band, Dave Berger's Sultans of Swing, and on BBC radio. Peter has performed at most of NY's great jazz clubs including the Blue Note, Birdland, Dizzy's Coca-Cola Club, Sweet Rhythm, Smalls, and Swing 46. He has studied with Barry Harris, Frank Wess, and Chris Byars.
Will Anderson - Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute
A native of Bethesda, MD, Will Anderson has been playing clarinet and saxophone since the age of 10. During high school, Will performed and recorded with a traditional jazz band on clarinet and saxophone that appeared often in the metropolitan area. In the summer of 02’ they traveled all over the United Kingdom playing at festivals, clubs, and parties. The band also attended the Thelonious Monk Institute Jazz Aspen Snowmass Summer Academy, and was selected to play at the 2004 North Sea Jazz Festival.
Will was fortunate to study with saxophonist Paul Carr of the D.C. area while in school. While earning his bachelor's degree at the the Juilliard School’s Jazz program, Will was lucky to study with Joe Temperley, Loren Schoenberg, Frank Wess, Joe Wilder, Hank Jones, and Kenny Washington. In the summer months Will had the opportunity to travel to Japan and Costa Rica with the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra where he was able to perform for mass audiences, as well as facilitate jazz clinics to inspire young underprivileged musicians.
In 2005, Will won second place in the Fish Middleton Scholarship Competition at the East Coast Jazz Festival, played lead alto saxophone in the All-Eastern Jazz Ensemble, and received an outstanding jazz soloist award from Downbeat magazine. He is a two-time Honorable Mention recipient from the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts (NFAA) talent search. Will has recently appeared in Vince Giordano's Nighthawks, the Stan Rubin Orchestra, the Chris Byars Octet, the Loren Schoenberg Big Band, and has performed weekly at Smalls Jazz Club. Will is grateful for his very supportive family.